Parentstock//Management Guide
Feed Management and Body Weight Targets H&N has always concentrated on maximizing the genetic potential for profitable egg production in the commercial cross without ignoring the importance of competitive parent performance. The management guide for parent stock is designed to help parent farms and hatcheries to achieve the best possible results applying management practices which have been successful in most situations. The actual protein and energy levels used in the different diets will vary from area to area because of the ingredients available, the quality of the ingredients and the ambient temperature. The recommended protein, amino acid and energy levels for the rations fed at each age during the growing period are given in Table 1. All rations need to be fortified with additional vitamins and trace minerals to assure that “H&N Layer Breeder“ parent stock will have good skeletal and muscle development and produce high quality hatching eggs. It is important that vitamins and minerals be added in approximately the levels shown in Table 2. It is essential that the body weights of “H&N Layer Breeder” parent stock be checked weekly. Maintaining the proper body weight during the grow period will help “H&N Layer Breeder” parent stock perform to the maxi-
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mum of their genetic potential. Proper body weights and feed consumption levels during the growing cycle appear in Table 3. The exact amount of feed to give the growing flock each day will be influenced by the ambient temperature and feed quality. The uniformity during the entire growing cycle needs to be monitored very closely. At all times during the growing cycle, at least 85 % of the females should weigh within plus or minus 10 % of the average body weight. Uniformity may drop to levels below 80 % around the time when production reaches 50 % and then increase again.